Alpaca knitting wool - Black

Alpaca fleece is the natural fiber harvested from an alpaca. It is light weight or heavy weight, depending on how it is spun. It is soft, durable, luxurious and silky natural fiber. While similar to sheep’s wool, it is warmer and not prickly. Alpaca is naturally water-repellent and difficult to ignite.

Alpaca fiber has little guard hair and no lanolin. It is unusually strong and resilient. Fabrics made of alpaca fiber are easy to care for and long-lived. These and other qualities make alpaca fiber a sought out commodity in commercial textile houses. Alpaca fiber offers the following benefits and qualities. Alpaca fleece is made into various products, from very simple and inexpensive garments made by the aboriginal communities to sophisticated, industrially made and expensive products such as suits.

* Alpaca fiber is extremely fine with little guard hair. * Alpaca fiber is compatible with either the woolen or worsted systems. * Alpaca fiber has excellent insulative or thermal qualities. * Alpaca fiber has a rich silky sheen which has high visual appeal in the apparel industry. * Alpaca fiber is warmer than Merino wool. * Alpaca fiber is more abrasion resistant than Merino wool. * Alpaca fiber has a higher tensile strength than wool. * Alpaca fiber contains no grease, oil or lanolin and does not smell. * Alpaca fiber does not retain water and can resist solar radiation. * Alpaca Fiber is rare – supply cannot keep up with demand for fine quality fleece. * Alpaca Fiber can be carded and blended with other natural and/or synthetic fibers. * Alpaca fiber can be easily dyed any color without losing its sheen.

COPROCA

Being aware of the international demand for raw materials and finished goods of Alpaca and Llama, Association in of Llama and Alpaca Breeders of the High Andes (AIGACAA) decided to establish a modern tops and yarns company to satisfy this demand.

COPROCA, formed in 1991, is a private company whose main shareholders are made of 1,200 families of Alpaca/Llama breeders who live in the Bolivian Highlands. Due to its organizational/ productive structure, COPROCA has become the leaders at management and productive levels in giving its shareholders direct economic benefits for the purchase of their raw materials at fair and just prices. This brings greater economic benefits to these underprivileged communities.

The main objectives of COPROCA are to improve the conditions of the people in the Bolivian Highlands by education in the breeding of the Alpacas and Llamas and giving greater rewards for improved fine fibre. This increase the overall added value to the raw material and generates a sustainable demand for the fibre, bringing a substantial benefit to the breeders and an increase in the direct and indirect labour in the region. With this comes marked improvements to the economic and social conditions of the members of the communities.